


through the perils of endless narrow escapes, we’re still here

by genresavvy



Category: Frankenstein MD
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-01
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-23 11:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2545238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genresavvy/pseuds/genresavvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ELI DOESN'T DIE AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	through the perils of endless narrow escapes, we’re still here

**Author's Note:**

  * For [summerwoodsmoke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerwoodsmoke/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about Costa Rica

i.

The second not-Robert -- the Creature -- Robert -- _whatever it is_ ,grabs Eli by the throat, she acts without thinking, adrenaline and the sudden muscle memory of those self-defense her dad forced her to take the summer before she left for college, and punches it right in the face. 

It's not so much the force of the punch itself as it is the shock of it that makes it -- no, Robert, this is Robert, isn't it? -- drop Eli and stumble back, groaning and yelling. She doesn't stop to analyze his reaction, though, as she immediately turns to Eli, who is laying on the ground. For a split second, she studies him, coughing and clutching his throat and looking shaken to the core, but alive, and she doesn't even try to stop the whispered 'thank you'. She's not sure who it's for.

Then she jumps into action, helping Eli up and, in a moment of intelligence and forward-thinking in the midst of panic, grabs his backpack before she starts running, dragging him along with her. She doesn't even think to look back.

He's probably going into shock, but he manages to collect himself once he realizes they're headed for his car, and they only let go of each other's hands the moment they reach it. She throws open the driver's side door and launches herself into the car, scrambling to the passenger's side seat as she throws his backpack into the back seat, and he practically dumps himself into the driver's seat, slamming the door behind him.

He then pulls out the keys from his pocket, but his hands are shaking, so she grabs the keys from him and starts the car herself, yelling, "Drive! Drive! Drive!" _  
_

And he does.

ii.

Really, Victoria should warn him about speeding, but her heart is pounding in her ears and the paralyzing fear of being on the brink of losing Eli is like a broken bone, a pain so fresh and new and all-consuming that she can't bring herself to focus on anything other than that. In fact, it isn't until they pull into the airport parking lot that she realizes that she has been clinging to his arm the whole drive, barely even in her seat of the car anymore.

As the adrenaline starts to wear off, she turns and looks at Eli, studying him for a moment, before forcing herself to speak, "Eli, you don't have to go. You can sti -- "

"We already talked about this." He insists, turning with a determined look on his face, "I'm going with you. That's final."

And she so wants to leave it at that, but she knows that she can't, "You saw what I did -- what I _made_ with your own eyes. I know that changes things. You have the full picture now, and I'm not holding you to choices you made before that."

There's still determination in his eyes, but there's a tenderness, too, and he reaches out, brushing his hand along her cheek, "I've known my entire life that I would go wherever you went. This isn't even a choice, it's how things  _are_. I'm going with you." He laughs, and adds, "You're stuck with me for life, Victoria Frankenstein."

She pauses for a moment, raising an eyebrow, before asking, "Eli Lavenza, was that. . .a proposal?"

"Wh -- I -- n -- "

He's blushing and stuttering and the moment is so out of place from what they just went through that she can't help but to laugh, leaning forward and kissing him.

iii.

Their flight gets delayed, and it doesn't take long for the momentary humor they'd found to fade, replaced with worry as they sit huddled together on one of the uncomfortable airport chairs. At first they tried to just share the seat, but when it became clear that wasn't going to work, they shifted and she ended up sitting on his lap. Normally, Victoria would have rolled her eyes at any couple being that clingy, and she catches more than one person doing exactly that, but she doesn't care. 

(Well, about that.  She _does_ care that the chair is so uncomfortable, and briefly considers filing a complaint with the airline until she remembers that this probably isn't the best time for that.)

"What are we going to do when we get to Costa Rica?" She asks, suddenly.

"Well, um. Stuff?"

"What kind of stuff?"

". . .to be honest, I thought you were going to figure that part out." He admits.

"Your phone's in your backpack, right?" She asks, unzipping the backpack even as she starts asking the question, "We'll just look up stuff about traveling to Costa Rica and figure it out right now, while we're waiting." It doesn't take too long for her to find his phone, but when she does, there's a half-open envelop with it's contents -- money in cash form -- falling out of it, "Eli, where did you get this much money?"

"It's my trust fund." He replies.

"You -- you couldn't have gotten this much money out today, when did you -- "

"Three days ago." Eli's quiet for a moment before adding, "You know, it's first time I've ever even thought about it since my parents set it up. I figured we'd need it."

"We do." She says, momentarily stunned by his thoughtfulness, "You didn't have to."

"Yeah, well, what else am I gonna use it for?" He grins, "Now, c'mon, let's pick out a hotel!"

iv.

Victoria lets Eli take the window seat on the plane, feeling too tired to really appreciate it, anyways. As soon as he puts his backpack in the overhead storage and they both get settled in their seats, she leans her head on his shoulder, and he reaches over and takes her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. 

"I love you." She says, suddenly, as it occurs to her that she hasn't said that to him yet and they're in the midst of fleeing the country together.

"I know." He attempts to keep his reply serious, but there's a not completely stifled laugh.

"You know, I've always seen you more as Luke Skywalker than Han Solo."

"Well, if you're Leia, that clearly doesn't work."

"I don't know, Eli, like half my family seems to think you're my adopted brother."

"I guess going to your family reunions would do that, huh?" He shakes his head, "This whole thing is gonna be, like, ten times more scandalous for them, isn't it?"

Her thoughts briefly go to her father, but she pushes them away as she laughs, "I. . .didn't think that was possible."

He's about to respond when an elderly woman sits down in the third seat in the row, who turns and looks at them once she settles, smiling, "Aren't you two adorable. When did you meet?"

They both pause, and glance over at each other, and even though it's not a good answer in the slightest, they both laugh.

v.

The hotel they end up staying at is much nicer than what she had envisioned when she agreed to his plan, thanks to the money from his trust fund. Thing is, they don't realize that the room only has one bed until they walk into it.

"Oh." Eli says, "I guess we forget to ask for two beds. Or they, uh, assumed it was a given."

"Well, I mean. . .do we really need two beds?" 

He blinks, then smiles, "That's. . .a very good point."

She turns and kisses him, then, and marvels at the fact that despite all that's gone wrong, all she's done wrong, she didn't lose him. 

And, most of all, she thinks that she's fairly certain that with that, with him, the rest of it can be bearable.


End file.
